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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. press — newspapers
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. face — to confront
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. object — an aim
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cell — a phone
  11. season — in sport
  12. object — to protest
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. object — a thing
  15. face — to point toward
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. shower — to wash
  19. shower — rain
  20. press — to push
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. face — part of the head
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cell — in biology

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com